


Birthday Gifts

by pixiealtaira



Category: Glee
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Mentions Kurt/Blaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23645389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiealtaira/pseuds/pixiealtaira
Summary: Kurt gets a birthday Surprise.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	Birthday Gifts

Seriously, the best thing about Kurt’s birthday that first year was that NYADA had had their finals two weeks before, but the Summer sessions did not start up again until the next week. He had one more week before he spent several weeks straight being tortured by Cassie July in an effort to catch up and be ready for intermediate dance for stage. He had tap and Jazz and ballet and lyrical and hip-hop and street and Latin dance and ballroom techniques and…he was going to die. He also had the rest of vocal techniques, drama year one, script analysis and of all things English 101. All shoved into June, July and half of August. So, yeah, the best part of his birthday was that he was on his summer break!

Rachel was insisting that the fact his birthday was on Memorial Day was the best thing…but Kurt did not agree. 

Kurt wasn’t home in Lima. He would not be visiting the graveyard to place flowers at his mother’s grave and at the gravesite of his Dad’s friend, who’d been in the Air Force in ’91 and had been in Desert Storm…or the gravesite of Harmon, who worked at the garage when Kurt was little and taught Kurt how to do Elvis’s hips and died of Lung Cancer and who had served in Vietnam and held his friend’s hand as he died in his arms. And his friend was named Marius Rossi and was from New York and one of the other guys had wanted to be an actor who acted in Musicals, on Broadway like Kurt wanted, and would tease Marius by singing ‘ _Maria, I’ve found a girl named Maria_ ’ until Marius shut him up by kissing him right smack on the lips…and that guy had died too but Harmon hadn’t been close enough to him to hold his hand. Kurt hoped his dad remembered to put the extra flowers at Harmon’s grave for Marius and their friend. Kurt wasn’t home for the evening barbecue with the guys from the shop and the Memorial Day Poker and Darts tournament that happened in the backyard if the weather was nice or in the house garage if it was nasty outside. He wasn’t home to make enough during this evening to fund half his summer wardrobe…mostly because both poker and darts were played better when sober. His traditional Memorial Day activities were not an option.

Blaine had chosen to go to California and spend the weekend with Cooper…and take Sam with him…instead of visiting Kurt. He also told Kurt that he wouldn’t be calling or anything until he was back to Ohio because he couldn’t figure out the time zone thing without giving himself a headache and he didn’t want Kurt to call him because he wasn’t sure when he’d be in while at Cooper’s. They planned on spending most of their time out and about, after all they wouldn’t have time for FUN while in LA for Nationals. He’d not said Happy Birthday before he left, nor had he sent any gift of any sort. Kurt wasn’t even sure Blaine remembered he had a birthday. Blaine had plenty of time for social media though, and he remembered all about sending pictures of him and Sam at the beaches and Disneyland to the Dalton Facebook group.

And New York during Memorial Day was nuts. The whole weekend had been nuts. Everyplace was too crowded with people going and trying to do things while they had time off. Friday night at callbacks had been so packed Kurt felt faint from lack of air and that had just been the start. He worked at the diner on Saturday and they never had a pause. There had been a line at least 15 people long out the door of the place for seven full hours! Sunday was so bad on the subway when they went out that Kurt ended up bruised and had clothing torn. And the amount of people trying to grill in places where one should NOT grill was insane. It was NUTS! They had heard almost non stop sirens for most of Saturday night and it hadn’t stopped. Between his feet hurting from work and then Rachel’s Day At Central Park (a non-stop complaint fest due to lack of ‘good’ space for the blanket he dragged through the subway and then halfway through the park for her) and the sirens, Kurt wanted nothing more to do for HIS birthday than sit home, maybe with ear plugs in, put his feet up and watch HIS choice of movie and eat HIS choice of takeout. He’d like to do it with friends…or at least not alone. He was willing to do many things…as long as he didn’t have to leave the loft or be subject to packed spaces with no breathing room and which endangered his feet more. Board game tournament? He could do that. A karaoke party…doable as long as it was at the loft. He didn’t think he was being too picky.

He hadn’t stopped hearing about his plans…or lack thereof…since he voiced them after Rachel woke him at 6:00 am to find out what ‘grand adventure’ he wanted to embark upon. Rachel…who had stolen his earplugs to block out the sirens all night long so she could get her beauty rest and preserve her ‘more important than anyone else’s’ delicate and ever so sensitive ears…and thus slept all night long woke him up…on HIS birthday...hadn’t been pleased at all when he said he wanted to stay in, maybe have a grand adventure at the loft. She whined and then yelled and then stomped her foot. And then demanded he get up and make birthday pancakes since he was being a ‘self-centered pig wrapped in a blanket’ which she then laughed like a hyena over. Yeah. All it had done was cement his desire to stay the heck home.

Rachel and Santana had finally left to ‘go out and do something’ since they didn’t want to sit around being a downer all day and didn’t care how crushing it was outside…and why should they let him decide the activity for that day anyway…Kurt’s birthday or not. Home was finally quiet. He was getting ready to pop in his Pity Party movie instead of something celebratory, because…the girls chose ‘fun’ and ‘excitement’ over friendship, again. He did have his choice of take-out, though, so it wasn’t a total miss.

He wasn’t expecting a knock on the loft door…or for the ones knocking to just left themselves in.

Food halfway to his mouth, he turned just in time to put the fork back onto his plate before he was ambush hugged by Dani, who then removed the plate from his hands and passed him off to Elliot.

“So…we heard that it was your Birthday. Of course we also heard you were being a party pooper and didn’t want to go out.” Dani said.

“So, we might have done a bit of calling around and…” Elliot added.

“You have about a half hour to change into something wonderful and fabulous before your party comes to you! Eat on the run!” Dani finished, pushing him off towards his room after handing him his plate again.

“And we promise no one will try to barbecue anything!” Elliot shouted before tasking other members of the band different jobs…like quick clean up and pushing furniture around and putting the dessert table and drink tables together.

Dani followed after him. “Eat, Kurt. You’ll get a belly ache if you just drink and eat sweets with us at your party. Then shower and I’ll have something waiting for you to put on.”

Kurt ate quickly while gathering the basics to take into the bathroom with him…underwear and his towels. Dani wouldn’t release anything else to him.

He showered and was about to start doing his hair when Dani barged in and dragged him back to the bedroom area, whistles and catcalls from the other band members following in his wake. Kurt was pretty sure he saw the band gear going up in one of the corners and his movie was playing in the back ground as the others worked, snippets of song floating back to Dani and the waiting clothing.

“The top first and then I’ll do your hair while you finish getting dressed.” Dani demanded, pointing to the ¾ sleeved white Henley sitting on the bed. 

Kurt got the shirt on and had barely pulled it all the way down when he felt hands full of mousse running through his hair. He sighed and reached for the pants.

“These aren’t something I own.” Kurt said, holding the leather pants that laced up the legs.

“Well, now you do. Happy Birthday. I decided you needed clubbing clothing and Elliot chose these so they could double as ‘Rock Dude!’ if we want to try something a bit more extreme at some point.”

“Rock dude?” Kurt asked and sounded quite dubious.

“What? You could totally do Freddy Mercury if you gave yourself a chance, not to mention some of the newer rocky stuff.”

Kurt tilted his head. “I could try.”

“Well, try later. People other than us will be here soon.” Dani said.

Kurt managed to get the pants on and properly fastened up and was adding to the outfit a black velvet sleeveless waistcoat that Kurt thought screamed Pirate or something.

“This is also an Elliot choice,” Kurt said fastening the front. “I can tell. It has a very steampunk vibe to it. I think it will become a favorite though, it is very comfortable. Dani? What are you doing?”

Dani just chuckled and pushed Kurt back until he was sitting on the bed again. 

“I’m not really an eyeliner type of a guy” Kurt protested as his makeup was skillfully done in very little time.

“You look amazing.” Dani said, dragging him to look in the mirror over the chest of drawers.

Kurt smiled. He did look pretty good. It wasn’t at all his usual look, but he could certainly appreciate it and he’d definitely be willing to repeat the look to go out another time.

“Damn. If there weren’t going to be so many others here, I’d totally tell you to go barefooted all evening. You look delicious with bare feet.” Dani said. “Unfortunately I cannot guarantee the safety of your toes…nor your virtue if Elliot saw you like that. I suggest black boots probably.”

Kurt chuckled. “I’ve got those covered. Biker boots be too much? Or would riding boots look better?”

“Like English riding boots?” Dani asked. “Those…I think.”

Kurt finished the look after getting his feet covered by adding a pocket watch on a chain and a blood red silk scarf and finally convincing Dani that piercing his ears needed to wait at least another year or so because his dad would flip out completely if he did so and there had been too many health scares to do that to him yet.

He finished dressing just in time. The first knock on his loft door was followed by a steady stream of knocking. People he knew from NYADA were gathering as well as people from Vogue.com and people he’d met through work at the diner and through Elliot and Dani. The counter space was quickly filled with goodies like cakes and cookies and other sweet treats and other snacks like nuts and chips. One of the guys Elliot introduced Kurt to had set up a small bar off to one corner and was fixing drinks and handling sodas and bottled water as well. His movie had been restarted and a few people had settled in front of the TV on beanbags he was certain he did not own, while other people danced in the open middle area to the music produced by a small mix station that Kurt knew wasn’t there before he’d gone to shower. The DJ was a girl who skated with Dani. The music wasn’t too loud, great for dancing to but not loud enough to make it impossible for those watching the movie to hear it. Half in Rachel’s ‘room’ was a small table set up where people were playing cards and the band’s gear was set up so people would sing later. On the edge of the stage was a pile of gifts. Everyone there seemed to be having fun and Kurt was having a blast. 

Someone had procured a large sheet cake with ‘Happy Birthday, Kurt!’ scrawled across the top and music notes in a rainbow of colors scattered over it as the rest of the decoration. It was vanilla cake with a raspberry filling and a slightly lemony flavored icing. 

“Do you like it?” Dani asked.

“I love it.” Kurt said, finishing his slice. Elliot had made him blow out candles before serving the cake and Kurt couldn’t help but smile as everyone sang to him.

“Santana said you were very picky about chocolate cake but liked white cakes with fruit fillings pretty well, and I thought just plain flavored icing was boring.”

“You asked her today?” Kurt asked.

Dani giggled. “Oh no. All we heard from them today was when Rachel called to complain that you were being mean. I texted her and Santana that we were going to be here at the loft this evening and to come join us here, but neither answered. No, I asked way back around Easter time, but then you made us cheesecake for Easter.”

Kurt smiled. The fact Dani had remembered that long and thought about what he’d like made him even happier.

After the cake Elliot and the band set up and offered their services for karaoke…which was done for about an hour and half before someone suggested a name that song competition. Kurt put up his laundry money as payout…in two dollar wins. Chase’s boyfriend was the big winner, much to Chase’s surprise. He won 12 of the 25 rounds.

Kurt opened gifts right before midnight and people went back to dancing to the DJ for about another hour after that as the party died down and people started to wander out. As the majority of people were leaving right around 2am, Kurt made sure to be at the door, thanking them all for showing up.

He looked back to his loft as he shut the door after the last group to leave other than the band and Dani and Elliot. The floor was clean, all the trash picked up and sacked up to be taken down to the dumpster, and Elliot and the other band members were moving the furniture back while Dani set his kitchen to rights. There wasn’t really anything left for him to do. The beanbags were piled in the corner, the drummer informing him they were there to stay. Kurt watched and thought that all in all, he had some awesome friends after all, just not the ones he had been counting on.

“You guys are amazing.” Kurt blurted out.

Elliot laughed, and tossed the throw pillow onto the perfectly replaced sofa before coming over to gather Kurt into a hug.

“Happy Birthday, Kurt. There was no way we were going to leave you to celebrate by yourself. Not for your 20th. Next year we will be going out though. I’m taking you bar hopping! Your other half will just have to stay home and pout. Too bad he couldn’t make it up for your birthday though. It would have been a great weekend for him to come visit. Rachel said he was too swamped with school though.”

Kurt snorted. “Blaine might be swamped with school, but the reason he didn’t come visit for the weekend, even though I called and asked him to come, was because he decided Sam needed to see California and spend time doing fun stuff there before they went back for Nationals in a week. They needed some ‘bro’ time at his brother’s place so they could handle the rest of the year without getting too down, it’s been sooo hard on them, you know. At least he told me he was heading out with Sam to see Cooper and Disneyland before I bought him the ticket to come see me this time.”

“So, what did he send to make up for missing your birthday?” Dani asked.

“Nothing.” Kurt said. “He probably forgot.”

Elliot just hugged him tighter. “Well then, I guess coming bearing gifts and a party was even more necessary. You had a good time, right? I know we sort of sprang it on you.”

Kurt hugged back and kissed his cheek. “I had a blast. I honestly think this might have been my best birthday yet. Thank you so much, you guys.”

Dani pulled him out of Elliot’s arms into her own and kissed him soundly. “You are always welcome. Honestly, everyone I talked to had fun as well. We might have to do this more often. The loft is perfect for gatherings like this. With summer coming up maybe we can put together parties more often. Like for Flag day!”

“June is National Accordion Awareness month!” the girl who played the bass and keyboard said.

“Really?” Kurt asked

She nodded. “We could play polkas and learn to polka and then have a Weird Al name that song contest!”

“We should really do a Pride month celebration….either a get ready for Pride or a Pride recovery party.” Elliot said.

“I wouldn’t mind at all if we can always get the place back to it’s normal as quickly as you all did tonight. Thank you so much for doing that. Last time we did something like this I was trying to get things back to normal for weeks…Rachel and Brody moved stuff but they did NOT help put it to rights. Some of our furniture does not move easily by just one person.”

Their drummer laughed. “Anytime time you need help moving stuff around just call. We cannot risk you throwing your back out just when we are getting regular gigs.”

“I’ll remember that. You might be sorry you offered.” Kurt said.

“Just have some of those cookies you had at practice last week as pay.” He said with a dreamy sigh.

The keyboardist and sometimes bassist and the other guitarist laughed. “It was a lot more fun than going out tonight. Dani was so right about that. I was disappointed we didn’t perform more though.” One of the girls said.

“Nah. I think the fact we performed once was enough. Everyone there who hadn’t heard us before now might want to come see us at the next gig.” The other replied. “We left them wanting.”

“And we play Thursday Night.” Kurt said. “Elliot got us this one.”

“I’ll text everyone tomorrow a set list, after sleep…and work and class. Which I’d better getting going to so I can make it to see all of those.”

Kurt was passed to the rest of the band members for hugs as well as they left. He looked back to the loft and the movie which had been turned on again as everyone cleaned up. He wandered to the kitchen to get some water before he headed off to bed and wondered when Santana and Rachel would make it home. He knew Elliot had texted them again before midnight but neither had answered. If they were doing their usual though, Santana would get Rachel to stay out till one or two, especially if they’d found someone to buy them drinks. Kurt was the one that headed home early.

There were several pieces of cake left on a plate in the refrigerator. Other than the bean bags and the gifts he hadn’t yet moved to his bedroom, the pieces of cake were the only evidence left out saying they had had a party at the loft.

He gathered the gifts still left out and took them with him to his bedroom, shutting off the TV and most the lights. He wasn’t waiting up. Tucking his loot away on top of his dresser, Kurt stripped down and hung everything that didn’t need washed up. He showered and settled into bed.

He had managed to eat HIS choice of takeout. He had seen at least some of HIS choice of movie…and better yet others had enjoyed it as well. He’d even managed to play a round of poker, even if he hadn’t won. And really, the loft was good for lots of things but it wasn’t really good for darts when crowded but he’d played other games. So he didn’t end up putting his feet up…he also never had to leave the safety of loft and deal with crowded venues. All in all, Kurt couldn’t complain at all. The three he’d counted on coming through for him…you know, the ones who promised to be there through thick or thin…failed him on his day, but not everyone did. And it was nice to know that he had friends who would be there for him, even if they weren’t the ones he expected.

The best part of the first birthday in New York was knowing he had somewhere along the way managed to make friends who would come through for him, despite the roadblocks the friends from Lima who promised to always be there for him kept throwing up. And that wasn’t something to take lightly.


End file.
